Weight lifting exercise benches have been known in the art for a number of years. More recently, as physical fitness has gained greater public interest and awareness, a number of developments have occurred in the design and use of exercise benches.
The original exercise bench, which is still in use, comprises a flat raised horizontal platform supported by a frame upon which a user lies while performing various arm exercises, such as bench presses and pullovers (which develop the triceps and chest muscle groups.)
The use of this original bench has limitations, in that an assistant was generally required to hand the weights to and take the weights from the bench user. Moreover, a bench user, who performed exercises thereon without assistance, could be injured if he became exhausted and was unable to escape from under the weights.
To improve the above-described original bench design, vertical support members at one end of the bench were extended above the level of the platform and “J”-shaped hook members were added to the upper portions of the extended vertical support members, thereby allowing the barbell weights to be supported above the users head and shoulders. This improved exercise bench was therefore, more convenient and safer in that a user could install a barbell on the “J”-shaped hook without assistance, and could place the barbell thereon after completion of his exercise so that he could escape from under said barbell.
Thereafter, exercise benches were provided with a platform having means for slanting the head end thereof upward relative to the horizontal portion of the end of the platform supporting a user's trunk. Using the aforementioned configuration, a weight lifter, by bench pressing with his upper torso inclined upward from a horizontal position, is required to use certain muscle groups of the upper chest and shoulders, which muscle groups would not otherwise be exercised to the same extent.
Another improvement to exercise benches is the addition of a leg exercising means. These leg exercising means are of two types, although many contemporary benches comprise both types in a single embodiment. The first type of such leg exercise means enables the development of the front thigh muscles, and more specifically, the quadriceps femoris (rectus femoris, vastus intermedius, vastus medials) vastus internua, sartorius, and patella tendon. In this exercise, the user sits or lies on his back on the platform with his legs hanging downward over one end thereof. The user's legs are tucked behind a padded member which is connected to the end of a vertical bar extending downward, the vertical bar being pivotally connected at its other end to the frame of the bench near the user's knees, such that the said vertical bar may be rotated about its pivot axis to a position approximately planar with the platform. Thus, when the user straightens his leg by flexing the quadriceps, he pivots his lower leg forward approximately 90° so that it is planar with the platform. A resistance may be added to the pivoting bar such as weights, an elastic or spring means, hydraulic pressure resistance or a pulley system.
This leg exercise means is deficient in at least two respects. Firstly, the lower leg which has a pivoting range at the knee of 135° or more, is not provided with its full range of motion, and therefore, the full potential benefit of the exercise is not achieved. Generally, the greater the range of angular movement of a joint during an exercise, the more benefit is derived from that exercise. Secondly, there is a tendency for some bench users performing this leg exercise to lift the whole leg from the hip rather than just using the quadriceps (e.g. to cheat on the exercise). Therefore, proper isolation of the select muscle groups for which this exercise is designed is not achieved using the prior art device. The present invention solves the foregoing problems.
The second type of leg exercise means associated with the use of an exercise bench enables the development of the back thigh and buttocks muscles, and more specifically, the hamstrings (biceps femoris, semimembranosus) and gluteus maximus. In this exercise, a user lies on the bench platform on his stomach with his leg tucked under a padded portion of a horizontal bar extending approximately planar with the platform, which bar is pivotally connected to the frame in a manner similar to the aforementioned leg extension exercise bar. Weights or other resistance means are applied to the bar as previously described. The user curls his lower legs upward and towards his buttocks.
This exercise bench is deficient in a number of respects in connection with the performance of the back leg and buttocks exercise described above. In performing this exercise on the prior art flat bench, as the horizontal bar is raised by the user's legs, the hips act as a fulcrum between the leg exercise bar pushing downward and backward on the leg, on the one hand, and the weight of the upper torso of the user, on the other hand. There is a tendency in this exercise to flex the back muscles to resist this fulcrum effect and to utilize the upper torso to rock or jerk the leg exercise bar upward. This rocking or jerking, in turn, can cause back muscle strain or more serious back injury. The present invention minimizes the risks of such strain or injury. The present invention also allows the user to isolate the muscle groups for which this exercise is intended, by making it difficult to utilize other muscles to cheat on the exercise.
To facilitate the performance of the leg extension exercise, there is a prior art exercise bench having a platform including head and foot sections divided by a hinge which is fixed in position at the horizontal plane of the platform, and a means for raising the end of the foot section of the platform. Using this bench, the above-noted deficiencies with regard to the leg extension exercise are avoided. However, this prior art bench cannot be used or adapted to aid in the performance of the leg curl exercise for which the hinge should be raised above the level of the platform.
Another bench is also available having a platform fixed in the shape of an upside down “V” to overcome the above-described deficiencies of a flat bench for performing the second type of leg exercise. However, this bench is only most conveniently usable for performing the leg curl. Moreover, none of the prior art exercise benches disclose the selective vertical translation of the pivoting means in the middle section of the platform.
Prior art exercise benches are also known in the art which combine the two types of leg exercise means into a single apparatus. In such benches, the horizontal bar is attached perpendicularly to a downward extending vertical bar to form a combination leg exercise means, which attaches to the frame of the bench near the intersection between said bars. The foregoing deficiencies of the two leg exercise means applies equally to this combination system.
There is a trend in the improvement of these exercise benches toward providing improved safety, increasing the number of different muscle groups which can be developed by its use, and enabling the selective isolation of various muscle groups for exercise. Thus, a weight lifter can specifically strengthen desired muscle groups. Similarly, body builders who, unlike weight lifters, exercise to develop the size and appearance of specific muscle groups, rather than strength, can also selectively isolate desired muscle groups.
Accordingly, the industry has continued to develop many forms of benches.
Benches of various sizes and configurations are now used by exercisers to assist in the performance of a variety of exercises. Different bench configurations permit an exerciser to perform different exercises thereon to exercise and isolate different sets of muscles.
For example, an inclined bench includes a seat and a backrest extending up from the seat inclined with respect to the floor so that the upper portion of the backrest is above the lower portion of the backrest. An exerciser may sit on the seat and recline in an at least partially upright position against the inclined backrest and can perform a variety of upper body exercises on the bench with weight or resistance training devices, such as dumbbells. The exercises which can be performed include chest press, lateral butterfly, and arm curl, each of which isolates and exercises a particular set of upper body muscles.
A flat bench provides a generally horizontal backrest upon which an exerciser may lie in a supine position. Again, the exerciser can perform chest presses and lateral butterflies, isolating a different set of upper body muscles then when the same exercises are performed on an incline bench. In addition, the exerciser can sit upright on the flat bench and perform a shoulder press exercise.
A slant board presents a declined backrest, i.e., a head portion of the backrest is disposed below a seat portion of the backrest. A slant board typically also includes foot holding structures. An exerciser can lie upon the slant board with his upper body disposed below his lower body and can perform chest presses, lateral butterflies, and a variety of abdominal exercises such as sit-ups and crunches. The exerciser can hold his feet stationary by engaging his feet with the foot holding structures. The user can also reverse positions on the slant board, so that the upper body is above the lower body, and perform inclined leg lift abdominal exercises.
Depending on the desired use, an individual may need a fixed horizontal bench or a bench capable of providing various back rest angles relative to the surface on which the bench is supported. Manufacturers have provided fixed horizontal benches, benches with an adjustable back rest, and benches with an adjustable back rest and separately adjustable bottom rest. Benches of these types have significant drawbacks. For example, a bench which remains horizontal relative to the bench supporting surface, such as a floor, limits the variety of exercises the user may perform. A bench having only an adjustable back rest does not provide a sound foundation for the user because the user tends to slide forward on the horizontal bottom rest while performing exercises. A bench with a separately adjustable back rest and bottom rest theoretically can provide appropriate back rest and corresponding bottom rest angles. However, this latter type of bench is inconvenient due to the multiple adjustment mechanisms needed to try to optimize the angle of the bottom rest relative to the back rest. Moreover, this type of bench requires the user to have knowledge of the appropriate settings to achieve proper angular adjustments. In addition, this type of prior art bench tends to have a common pivot axis on the frame for both the back rest and bottom rest. A common pivot for both the back rest and bottom rest is disadvantageous because the bottom rest should ideally be moved lower toward the bench supporting surface when the back rest is in more upright positions. The common pivot typically requires the leading edge of the bottom rest to be moved upward to tilt the bottom rest. This tends to force apart the legs of the user and tends to increase lower back hyperextension.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,462,510 discloses an exercise bench having a relatively complicated structure wherein adjustment of the angle of the back rest simultaneously provides limited adjustment of the angle of the bottom rest relative to the bench supporting surface. This patent discloses multiple back rest positions, yet the bottom rest only attains a horizontal position (relative to the floor) and two other angled positions. Thus, the appropriate bottom rest position is not attained for each respective back rest angle. Moreover, when the bottom rest is tilted toward the back rest, a significant portion of the bottom rest rises, moving further away from the bench supporting surface. Hence the user experiences the same disadvantages of the earlier prior art, such as forcing apart of the legs and tendency to increase lower back hyperextension.
Convertible exercise benches of various types are known in the prior art. Among these are benches which are convertible between a chair-like configuration for supporting a user in a seated position with a back support, and a bench-like configuration for supporting the user in a reclining position. These types of devices typically employ fairly complicated linkages and are difficult to reconfigure, often requiring the removal and repositioning of multiple pins which lock the various bench components in desired positions. These complex constructions and the complexity of use associated with them make these prior art bench construction somewhat difficult and time consuming to use. A need therefore exists for a multi-position exercise bench which is much simpler to use than prior art structures.
Multiple position exercise benches are commonly known in the field as FID benches (flat-incline-decline), referring to the different possible bench positions. The FID bench has been a staple in the fitness industry for many years. Some FID benches may be folded for storage purposes while others do not have the ability to fold. U.S. Pat. No. 6,645,130 of Webber describes an adjustable exercise bench which can be folded into an upright orientation for storage. Some foldable benches are still fairly bulky and difficult to carry when folded, and have parts which protrude in the folded position, requiring more storage space.
To take advantage of the variety of exercises which may be performed on the various bench configurations described above, one would conventionally need multiple benches of different configurations. The need for multiple benches can present space problems, especially for the home user, and also leads to the added expense of purchasing multiple different benches.
Therefore, there is a need for an exercise kit that can overcome the disadvantages associated with benches.
There is a further need for an exercise system that will provide the versatility required for a complete exercise routine, yet can be efficiently stored, as well as efficiently set up and configured for use.